At Least 13 Kenyan Missionaries Killed In Tanzania Bus Accident

[News_Editor]

At least 13 Kenyan missionaries killed in Tanzania bus accident < br />

2012-08-12 06:34:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

NAIROBI, KENYA (BNO NEWS) -- At least thirteen Kenyan nationals were confirmed killed after a brutal road accident in eastern Tanzania, local authorities said Friday.

The accident occurred early Friday morning at a bridge near Tanga, Tanzania and involved two buses carrying a large group of women from Kenya's Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Landless parish in Thika.

The women were traveling into the neighboring country for a mission, when one of the buses lost control and steered off the road. The second bus stopped to help, but it was hit from behind by a cargo truck believed to have been speeding. The bus reportedly landed on the group trying help, Capital FM reported.

It was uncertain whether the fatal victims were from the one or both of the buses. In addition to the 13 deaths, at least 40 other women were reported injured. Authorities are fearing an increase in the death toll since there were several people trapped under the bus.

In total, some 84 members of the PCEA were traveling toward Dar-es-Salaam and then Zanzibar for a mission. Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki ordered ground and air military assistance to evacuate the victims from the scene and receive medical transport in their native country.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-08-12